Two weeks ago, Fenway’s creative zone defense gave ninth-ranked Holland (formerly Burke) some issues in a 57-54 Bulldogs win.
In the rematch, Holland fell behind, 18-14, after one quarter, but cracked the Panthers’ zone in the second with Jasaad Fenton (14 points, 6 assists) and Yassine Amghar (21 points, 6 assists, 4 steals) combining for seven 3-pointers in the frame to open a 39-25 halftime lead en route to a 73-57 Boston City League win.
Fenton suffered a hip injury shortly before halftime, but Bulldogs coach Joe Chatman said he expects the star point guard to be ready for Monday’s game against English High.
“Look at how [Fenton is] leading us,” said Chatman. “I think he’s the best point guard in the state right now. He’s dominating both ends of the floor, being a leader, and shooting better than he ever has.”
“Today, our pressure really bothered [Fenway] and once we started making shots we just overwhelmed them in the second quarter.”
The Bulldogs (11-2, 7-0) are the only undefeated team in Boston City League play with two league games remaining against English (7-6, 4-3) and New Mission (10-6, 5-2) next week. The win moves them close to clinching the top seed in the BCL Tournament and further solidifies their status as the top-rated team in the MIAA Division 4 power ratings.
While Fenton and Amghar often lead the scoring, and 6-foot-7-inch center Gerald Banks controls the paint, the Bulldogs are made whole by connecting wings Kamron Gordon and Ian Piper, who finished with 18 points, 12 rebounds, and 5 steals. Gordon is a 6-4 lefty wing capable of guarding all five positions and Piper is an excellent rebounder and defender at 6-3.
With the regular season coming to a crescendo in February, Chatman is looking to keep his team focused while dealing with lofty expectations.
“At [Holland], we have a one-game mentality,” said Chatman. “The next game is the biggest game of the season. When you have that bulls-eye on your back, you can start counting your eggs before they hatch, and I don’t believe in that and the kids don’t believe in that. It’s easy to get caught up in that stuff when you hear you’re the favorite to win the [BCL], so I try to keep those guys clear-headed and focused on the next game.”
